Young Folks Treasury, Volume 2 (of 12) eBook

Midas had often said to people that his little daughter
was worth her weight in gold, and it had become really
true. Now when it was too late, he felt how much
more precious was the warm tender heart that loved
him than all the gold that could be piled up between
the earth and sky.

He began to wring his hands and to wish that he was
the poorest man in the wide world, if the loss of
all his money might bring back the rosy color to his
dear child’s face.

While he was in despair he suddenly saw a stranger
standing near the door, the same visitor he had seen
yesterday for the first time in his treasure-room,
and who had granted his wish.

“Well, friend Midas,” he said, “pray
how are you enjoying your new power?”

Midas shook his head. “I am very miserable,”
he said.

“Very miserable, are you?” exclaimed the
stranger. “And how does that happen:
have I not faithfully kept my promise; have you not
everything that your heart desired?”

“Gold is not everything,” answered Midas,
“and I have lost all that my heart really cared
for.”

“Ah!” said the stranger, “I see
you have made some discoveries since yesterday.
Tell me truly, which of these things do you really
think is most worth—­a cup of clear cold
water and a crust of bread, or the power of turning
everything you touch into gold; your own little daughter,
alive and loving, or that solid statue of a child which
would be valued at thousands of dollars?”

“O my child, my child!” sobbed Midas,
wringing his hands. “I would not have given
one of her curls for the power of changing all the
world into gold, and I would give all I possess for
a cup of cold water and a crust of bread.”

“You are wiser than you were, King Midas,”
said the stranger. “Tell me, do you really
wish to get rid of your fatal gift?”

“Yes,” said Midas, “it is hateful
to me.”

“Go then,” said the stranger, “and
plunge into the river that flows at the bottom of
the garden: take also a pitcher of the same water,
and sprinkle it over anything that you wish to change
back again from gold to its former substance.”

King Midas bowed low, and when he lifted his head
the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

You may easily believe that King Midas lost no time
in getting a big pitcher, then he ran towards the
river. On reaching the water he jumped in without
even waiting to take off his shoes. “How
delightful!” he said, as he came out with his
hair all dripping, “this is really a most refreshing
bath, and surely it must have washed away the magic
gift.”

Then he dipped the pitcher into the water, and how
glad he was to see that it became just a common earthen
pitcher and not a golden one as it had been five minutes
before! He was conscious, also of a change in
himself: a cold, heavy weight seemed to have gone,
and he felt light, and happy, and human once more.
Maybe his heart had been changing into gold too, though
he could not see it, and now it had softened again
and become gentle and kind.